Nation celebrates 121st anniversary of the victory of Adwa

The 121st anniversary of the victory of Adwa was colorfully celebrated at the historic town of Adwa, Tigray regional state, the very spot where Ethiopians defeated the Italian invading army on March 1, 1896. Speaking at the celebration, President Mulatu Teshome said Adwa is a great victory which resonates the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect as well as the value of determination for success, adding "it is a victory for all black people." The President said "Our ancestors have made huge sacrifices to safeguard the sovereignty of the country and pass it down to the existing generation." The current generation, and the youth in particular, Dr. Mulatu added need to step up its engagement towards building the national image, further calling the nation to support the country's ongoing development projects, and notably the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). At the event, Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen handed over a torch for President Mulatu Teshome and Speaker of the House of Federation, Yaelw Abate, dedicated for the proposed campaign to raise fund for GERD, which will unfold on March 26, 2017 in Addis Ababa, and ran across all the regional states and city administrations for 11 months. In connection, Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen called on all Ethiopians to sustain the unity and participation evident during the battle of Adwa onto the construction of the renaissance dam.